W. L. Gilbert Clock Company A product of the age of manufacturing, William Lewis Gilbert was once the employer of Silas Terry in Winsted. Terry moved to Waterbury before the entire factory burned in 1871. Gilbert, alas, did not. Gilbert began his clockmaking career in the first quarter of the 19th century at a small clock shop which he owned in conjunction with a relative by marriage, named George Marsh. Gilbert also was in partnership with a Jon Birge in Bristol, and later with Chaunucey and Noble Jerome. After the Winsted factory burned, large brick buildings housed the facilities of the manufacturer. Eventually a corporation, Gilbert continued clock manufacturing until after World War II, when a decline that had been spiraling downward for years, caused it to be absorbed by a computing machines company. Gilbert is best known for manufacturing inexpensive brass and alarm clocks. That little ditty was stolen from "The Official Price Guide to Antiques Clocks", Third edition by Roy Ehrhardt and published in 1985. A good general way of dating any production clock is by how the minute hand is secured. In general if the minute hand has a "hand nut" holding it to the minute shaft you can "assume" that it was made AFTER World War I. If the minute hand is secured by a pin then you can "assume" that is was made BEFORE World War I. That is a general dating scheme and works about 85% of the time. A service from, E-mail address: z4murray@webcom.com Mike Murray Listowner for Clockers A specialist in Atmos and 400-day clock repair. In continuous service since 04/01/1982. Mike's Clock Clinic Memberships: AWI # 17851; NAWCC # 074021 1326 Stanford Street Santa Monica, California USA 90404-2502 Fax: 310-828-7381 My Web site is located at http://www.webcom.com/z4murray/ Main FTP site is located at ftp.netcom.com/pub/mi/mikem Clockers sign-up/off is now as automated as its going to be at http://www.webcom.com/z4murray/mailing.html Copyright 1996 by Michael P. Murray